Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has updated its Illinois School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard, now featuring data from the 2024-25 school year. This online tool presents data at state, county, and district levels, leveraging information collected by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

“Providing Illinois residents with access to real-time data to guide their medical decision-making is a critical IDPH priority,” stated IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. He highlighted the importance of vaccinations for children's protection against preventable diseases as ongoing measles outbreaks affect parts of the United States.

Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders remarked, “Vaccinations are one of the most effective tools we have to protect children from serious, preventable diseases and to keep them learning in school. We’re proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide this powerful tool to families, educators, and community leaders.” He emphasized the importance of addressing vaccination gaps to safeguard students' health and education.

The dashboard, updated with data up to October 2024, aids public health officials, educators, and policymakers in making informed decisions. Notably, the measles vaccination rate remains above 95% for school children in Illinois, with over 70% of schools maintaining this level. However, 10% of schools have less than 91% measles vaccination coverage, increasing their vulnerability to outbreaks.

Recent data reveals gains in pneumococcal pneumonia (+1.8%) and Hib (+1.6%) vaccination coverage, while a slight decline is noted in vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and DTP/DTaP/TD. Traditional public schools outperform charter and nonpublic schools in vaccination coverage rates.

The vaccination data come from ISBE's annual collection, reported as of October 15. IDPH, without collecting data directly, collaborates with ISBE to provide accurate information in the dashboard. Users can navigate the platform to view data by school year and type of immunization, sorting it by various factors to understand community immunization needs.

Additional resources, such as a comprehensive guide and tutorial, are available to help users utilize the dashboard effectively. This update coincides with the launch of the IDPH Measles School Outbreak Simulator Dashboard, a tool for assessing measles exposure potential in schools.